Kalyani's Cooking Recipes

Paneer Pin Wheels

2011-11-26T21:04:00.000-06:00

Bored on a saturday evening and wanting to try something different and tasty, I ended up with this recipe. I realized I had some pastry puff left over after the last time I made vegetable puffs for my guests at home and decided to try something with Paneer. I really wanted to post step by step pictures recipe for this, but unfortunately missed to take pictures :( I will manage to edit and repost this with the step by step pictures sooner. Enjoy the mouth watering pin wheels

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1. Paneer - 100 gms
2. Pepperidge farm Puff pastry - 1
3. Onion - 1 meidum size
4. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
5. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tablespoon
6. Garam Masala powder - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Salt - to taste
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon
9. Butter - to coat the wheels
10. Coriander leaves - handful
For Mint Chutney
1. Mint leaves - 20-30 leaves
2. Green chillies - 1

Preparation:

Thaw the Puff pastry per the instructions given in the pack. I generally thaw it at room temperature as I start preparing my filling.

Filling
1. Grate paneer finely and chop onions into fine pieces
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and when hot add cumin seeds, onions and fry them until onion turns golder brown.
3. Add the grated paneer, red chilly powder, salt, garam masala and cook it for 5- 6 minutes in low-medium flame. Since we have grated the paneer finely, it will cook quickly.

Mint Chutney:
Make a fine paste with mint leaves and green chillies with a pinch of salt.

Making Pin Wheels
By now, the pastry sheet would have thawed well and ready to use.

1. Roll the pastry sheet with little flour (AP flour/Maida flour).
2. Now spread the Mint chutney all over the sheet.
3. Spread the paneer mixture over the mint chutney and finely chopped coriander leaves.
4. Start rolling the pastry from one side. Use water to seal when closing on the other end
5. Slice into wheels of required size and brush it with melted butter.
6. Spread the baking sheet over the baking tray and place the wheels without touching one another.
7. Precook the oven at 350 degrees and bake it for 10-12 minutes. Check once or twice during the baking.

Hot and spicy paneer roll is ready to serve. Serve it with tomato ketchup

Tips:
1. Place the roll before slicing in freezer for 10 minutes to make the slicing easier
2. If you don't like it too spicy, you can reduce the amount of chilly powder.

Egg Kuzhambu (உடைத்த முட்டை குழம்பு)

2011-09-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

I am quiet bored of the egg gravies and curries I usually prepare with boiled eggs. This is one of the variations I tasted in my Chennai Grandma's house and grabbed the recipe from her. The first time I tried it almost a year back, this became my husband's favorite too. This is really very simple to make and also can be served as a side dish with Idlis/dosas/chapathis or with rice.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1. Eggs - 4
2. Onion -1 big thinly chopped
3. Tomatoes - 2 medium sized finely chopped
4. Green chillies - 2 vertically split
5. Curry leaves - 2 to 3
6. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
7. Urad dhal - 1/2 tablespoon
8. Oil - 3 tablespoon
9. Salt to Taste
10. Coriander leaves for garnishing.

For Masala

1. Grated coconut -
2. Pepper - 1/2 tablespoon
3. Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
5. Turmeric powder - a pinch
6. Fennel Seeds - 1 tablespoon
7. Ginger - a small piece (about 1/2 inch)
8. Garlic - 2
9. Curry leaves - 3 to 4
10. Mint leaves - 4 to 5
11. Cloves - 2
12. Cinnamon - a small stick(abount 1/2 inch)

Preparation:
1. Prepare a wet paste with all ingredients given for masala.
2. Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds, urad dhal, green chillies, curry leaves and onions by adding one by one.
3. When the onion turns transparent, add tomatos and cook well for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the paste made in step 1, salt and mix it well. Add around 1 1/2 cups of water and cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Break the eggs one by one (they should be separate and not touching each other) into the boiling mixture.
6. Cook for 10 minutes in medium low by covering with a lid. Turn the eggs without breaking at half time.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice/idli/dosa/chapathi.

Tips:

1. Try using a wide pan for the eggs to cook without mixing with each other.

Mint-Spinach Paneer/Chicken Kebab

2011-09-04T14:02:00.000-05:00

It was heavily raining and we had a tornado warning that evening and I reached home early and both of us wanted to have something spicy and it was time for me to try this recipe and we also ended up naming it "Mint-Spinach Flavored Triple Tornado Grill". On our first camping trip with our friends, I repeated this with Chicken.

Preparation Time: 2 hours for marination; 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 250 gms
2. Onion - 1
3. Bell Peppers (Capsicum) - All colors each one
4. Lemon Juice - 2 - 3 tablespoon
5. White pepper - for garnishing

6. Oil - to cook

Marinade:
1. Spinach leaves - 25-30
2. Mint leaves - 4 to 5
3. Coriander leaves - 4-5 stings
4. Green chillies - 2
5. Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
6. cloves - 3
7. Cinnamon - 2-3 small sticks
8. Cardamom - 1
9. Bay leaves - 1 small
10. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
11. Pepper - 4-5
12. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
13. Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tablespoon
14. Yoghurt - 3-4 tablespoon
15. Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Wash all greens and blend them along with the other ingredients given for marination into a fine paste.

2. Cut paneer,onions and bell peppers into cubes of 1 inch size and gently poke the pieces with a fork, add the paste and mix it well.

3. Keep it refrigerated for 1 - 2 hours.

4. Heat a pan and 2 tables spoons of oil and shallow fry the paneer pieces few at a time for not more than 2-3 minutes. Repeat the process until all the paneer pieces and keep it aside.

5. Pre heat the oven at 350 degrees.

6. Apply oil on the skewers and skew the fried paneers, bell peppers, onoins alternatively as a colorful combination.

7. Place a baking sheet on a tray, place the skewers and cook it in the oven for 7-8 minutes rotating sides at half time.

8. Remove it from the oven, squeze lime juice and sprinkle some white pepper and serve it hot.

Tips:

1. You can try this recipe with Chicken or any other vegetables.

2. If you are planning to try this dish in a camping site, you can skip step 4 and grill it directly. You will have to cook for few extra minutes.

Pepper Curry Leaves Gravy (மிளகு கருவேப்பிலை குழம்பு)

2011-08-28T15:41:00.000-05:00

This is one of my very favorite preparation. Thanks to SanthaKumari aunty (a family friend, such a lovely and dear person to me and our family) for giving this recipe that I always love. This is a variation to the normal Tamarind Kuzhambu and more rich in taste and aroma.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Onion - 2 medium sized finely chopped

2. Tamarind extract - 200 ml

3. Garlic - 10 pods

4. Curry leaves - 5 for seasoning

5. Oil - 1-2 tablespoon

6. Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon

7. Urad dal - 1 tablespoon

8. Butter - 1/2 tablespoon (optional)

To Powder

1. Pepper - 1 tablespoon

2. Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

3. Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tablespoon (make sure not to over fry as it will turn bitter)

4. Curry leaves - 30 - 35

Preparation:
1. Cook the garlic in little water and smash it into coarse pieces.
2. Add red chilly powder and salt to the tamarind extract and keep it aside.
3. Dry fry the ingredients given for powder, cool and grind it into fine powder.
4. Heat oil in a pan and season with Mustard seeds, urud dhal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add chopped onions and cooked garlic and saute until onion turns transparent. Pour the tamarind extract and one cup of water, cook in medium flame for 20-25 minutes until the raw tamarind smell goes off and the mixture reduces into half.

6. Now add the grounded masala powder. Set it in low flame and continue cooking for another 5 mins and switch off the stove. Finally add one tablespoon of butter (this is optional)

Appalam/Paruppu or thengai thuvayal with this rice will make an excellent meal.

Tomato Rice (Version 1)

2011-08-28T15:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a very simple recipe for tomato rice which can serve as a quick lunch box item and serve as scrumptious meal.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. Rice - 250 gms
2. Tomatoes - 3 large sized
3. Onions - 1 large sized

4. Green chillies - 3 vertically split

5. Mint leaves - 6-7

6. Turmeric powder - a pinch

7. Salt - to taste

8. Corn or peas -1/2 cup(Optional)

For Tempering:

1. Oil/Ghee - 2 tablespoon

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon

3. Urad dhal - 1/2 tablespoon

4. Curry leaves - 4-5

5. Roasted Groundnuts - 20-25

6. Asafoetida - a pinch
7. Red chillies - 2 -3

For Masala Powder:

1. Channa dhal - 2 tablespoon

2. Toor dhal - 1 tablespoon

3. Urad dhal - 1 tablespoon

4. Red chillies - 3 (vary if according to your spice level)

5. Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon

6. Fenugreek(Methi)seeds - 1/4 tablespoon

7. Sesame seeds - 1/4 tablespoon (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook the Basmathi rice and set it aside to cool.

2. Dry fry the ingredients given for masala one by one, cool and grind into a coarse mixture.

3. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dhal, asafoetida, red chillies, curry leaves, roasted ground nut and fry for less than a minute.

4. Now add finely chopped onions, mint leaves and green chillies and saute until onion turns transparent.

5. Now add the tomatoes, and cook until it becomes tender (for around 5-6 minutes in medium flame). Add turmeric powder, masala powder and little salt and mix it well. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if it is too thick.

6. Cook in low flame for another 5 minutes. Add this cooked mixture little at a time to the cooked rice checking the spice and salt.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashewnuts(optional).

Papad/Potato curry is an awesome companion for this rice.

Tips:

1. Spread the cooked rice in a sheet or plate and let it cool completely before you mix it.

2. You can roast little grated coconut and grind it with the masala powder for an additional rich taste.

3. Soak Basmathi rice for 5- 10 minutes, dry the water completely and roast it in 1 tablespoon of ghee/oil until it turns white and becomes non-sticky, then cook the rice. This will help the grains remain separate and look delicious.

மிளகு வடை( Pepper Vada)

2011-04-18T19:38:00.001-05:00

மிளகு வடை(Pepper Vada) is a very famous offering for Lord Anchaneya(Hanuman). This is one of my favorites and I wanted to try this recipe for a very long time. Today being Hanuman Jayanthi (in Andhra), and fortunately I had a day off from work, decided to prepare this vada and small pooja at home in the evening. Thanks to my mom(in-law) for this wonderful recipe. The vada came out so well and it was a surprise snack for my husband today :)

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1. Urad dhal - 100 gms
2. Rice - 2 tablespoon
3. Pepper - 10-12 (for medium spice)
4. Cumin Seeds - 1 tablespoon
5. Salt - to taste
6. Oil - for frying

Preparation:
1. Soak dhal and rice for not more than 10 minutes and then drain the water completely and set it aside for atleast 30 minutes to 1 hour until it becomes dry.
2. Grind dhal and rice along with Pepper, cumin and salt into a coarse thick mixture. Do Not add water.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan.Keep a wet cloth or thick plastic sheet( like ziploc cover) ready to make the vada.
4. Take a portion of the mixture (size of a medium goosberry) and spread it on the cloth/plastic sheeet and make it an even thin round and make a small hole in the center.
5. Drop it in the oil and cook in medium flame. Turn sides as it cooks and take it out when it becomes golden brown on both sides.

Crispy pepper vada is ready. This will stay nice for a longer time, so you can store it in an air tight container and consume for a week.

Makkan Peda (with Gulab Jamun Mix)

2011-04-11T22:53:00.009-05:00

"Makkan Peda" also known as "Arcot Makkan Peda" is a very famous sweet in Arcot(my neighbour town in my homeplace) in Vellore district. I still remember my childhood days where this sweet was very popular in one special shop named " Chairman Sweet Stall" in Arcot. Though now we started getting this sweet in many places in and around. Any guest to our house will definitely not miss this sweet as part of their lunch or dinner treat. At first look it would seem like 'Gulab Jamun' for most until they take a bite with those crunchy nuts.

This sweet is generally made of sweetless kova (a milk product). I couldn't find kova anywhere here at my place and decided to give a try with the instant Gulab Jamun mix and it really came out yummy!!!

Ingredients: (for 5 pieces)

1. MTR instant Gulab Jamun mix - Half packet

2. Cooking soda - a pinch

3. Milk - less than 1/4th of gulab jamum mix

4. Sugar - 3 cups

5. Dried nuts mixture - one cup. I used cashews, Almonds, Pistachio, dates, dry grapes. Do not miss to use pumpkin seeds if you can acquire some. It adds richness to the taste.

6. Oil - to fry

Preparation:

1. Mix the gulab jamun powder with cooking soda and milk and knead gently and make a soft dough without sticking and rest it for 5 - 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the dry nuts mixture by cutting the nuts into smaller pieces.
3. Now make soft round balls with the dough in hand and make a small hole and fill it with the nuts mixture, close the hole and roll it again and flatten it a bit
4. Now heat oil in a pan and fry the balls 1 or 2 at a time.
5. Most importantly, do not over heat oil. Keep it in a very low flame otherwise it will turn brown quickly but the inner part might not cook.
6. Cooking time for each piece should be 7 to 8 minutes and turn sides slowly for even cooking.
7. In another pan add sugar and equal amount of water and bring it to boil to make the sugar syrup.
8. Once the syrup thickens after boiling for 5 to 7 minutes, switch off.
9. When the peda pieces are cooked, drain the oil and drop into the sugar syrup. Sugar syrup should be hot.
10. Set it aside for 15 -20 minutes to soak it completely and dress it with dried nuts on top.
Delicious, mouth watering Makkan peda is ready to eat.

Tips:
1. When the peda soaks in syrup it will expand in size, so prepare enough syrup to serve.
2. To get the rich taste, use Kova instead of the gulab jamun mix

2011-03-02T22:22:00.000-06:00

Download at :

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spice-taste-explore-indian/id383015533?mt=8

BitterGourd Fry

2010-12-31T20:45:00.000-06:00

Bittergourd... I am sure it is one of the vegetable most of us would not like to eat. It is very recently I started eating and liking it as my husband loves to eat bittergourd. I made this fry a simple recipe that my mom and grand mom used to prepare.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Bittergourd -4
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon

Preparation:
1. Chop bitter gourd into round pieces and remove the seeds.
2. Add turmeric powder and salt to the chopped pieces and set it aside for 30 minutes to one hour. This process is to remove the excessive bitterness.
3. After an hour or so, Squeeze the bitter gourd and drain the water complete out of it.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the bitter gourd, red chilly powder, coriander powder and if required additional salt and start cooking in low flame.
5. Close the pan with a lid and occasionally check and saute it and do not let it burn.
6. When it turns crispy, we are done. This will take around 20 minutes to complete.

Plain Rasam

2010-12-31T17:33:00.001-06:00

Plain rasam which we commonly call as வெட்டி ரசம் (or)கொட்டு ரசம் is very simple and easy to prepare. Back in my childhood days, we used to have this rasam for dinner when we have a very heavy lunch especially over weekends. This is a very good food for easy digestion.

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
Tamarind juice - small lemon size
Tomato - 1
Garlic pods - 4- 5
Curry leaves - 5-6
Coriander leaves - for garnish
Salt - to taste

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Red chillies - 3
Hing - ap inch
oil - 1 tablespoon
Alternatively you can use vadagam to season instead of mustard seeds for more flavor

To Powder:
Red chillies - 3
Pepper - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

Preparation:
1. Coarsely powder the ingredients.
2. Extract two cups of juice from tamarind.
3. Add finely chopped tomatoes, coarsely crushed garlic pods, salt and the powder to the tamarind juice.
4. Heat a pan and add oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and when it splutters and red chillies and little hing.
5. Pour tamarind juice mixture in the pan and bring to boil.
6. When it starts to boil, add a spoon of water and simmer the stove and continue to boil for just 2 more minutes and switch off the stove.
7. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Hot, spicy and tasty rasam is ready. Coconut thogayal/pappads/potato curry is an awesome combination with the hot rasam rice.

Carrot Curry

2010-12-31T17:26:00.000-06:00

A healthy, simple, tasty carrot curry preparation.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Carrot - 6 (grated)
Green Chillies - 3 (split vertically)
Moong dhal - 2 tablespoons
Onion -1 medium sized
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Grate the carrots, split the green chillies and finely chop the onions.
2. Cook the moong dhal to 3/4th in little water and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. When hot season with Mustard seeds, urud dhal and asafoetida.
4. Add onions, green chillies and saute well. When it turns transparent add the grated carrot.
5. Add required salt and cook in medium flame for 5 minutes.
6. Grated carrot will cook very quickly and will be done in 5 minutes.
7. Now add the cooked moong dhal and mix it and cook for another 2 minutes and the carrot curry is ready to eat.

Cabbage Curry (with Fried Gram Dhal)

2010-12-31T15:14:00.001-06:00

This is yet another easy recipe with very simple ingredients. Fried gram dhal gives a unique flavor and taste to this dish.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1 medium sized
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Fried gram dhal - 6 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Shred the cabbage into medium pieces. Dont make it very thin.
2. Make a fine powder of the friend gram dhal and cumin seeds.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds when hot. When it splutters, add the shredded cabbage and saute well.
4. Add required salt and sprinkle handful of water and mix well.
5. Close it with a lid and cook in medium flame for around 15 minutes until the cabbage cooks well.
6. Now reduce it to low flame and add the powder and mix it well for not more than 5 minutes. Take care not to burn. The powder will form a layer over the cabbage and leave a mushy texture and strong flavor.

Potato Mushroom Curry

2010-12-12T15:45:00.000-06:00

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Mushroom - 1/2 cup
Potatoes - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 10-15
Tomatoes - 1
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste

For Masala
Cloves - 3
cinnamon - small piece
pepper - 1/2 tablespoon
cumin seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
coriander powder - 2 tablespoons
Shallots - 7- 8
Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Cashew -3- 4
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tablespoon

Preparation
1. Soak poppy seeds and cashew nuts in little water for around 20 - 30 minutes.
2. Boil potatoes in water with minced chillies and grated ginger with little salt.
3. When it is half done, add mushrooms and boil them together and strain the water when it is cooked 3/4 th
4. Dry roast, all spices given under masala, and add shallots and coconut and fry for couple of minutes.
5. Cool the mixture and grind it with poppy seeds and cashew with little water.
6. Add the ground masala to boiled potatoes and mushroom with little water and cook it in low flame for 5 to 10 minutes. Add additional salt as required.
7. In parallel, add 2 tablespoons of oil in another pan and add mustard seeds when oil is hot. When it splutters, add curry leaves, and shallots and fry until it is golden brown.
8. Now add the tomatoes and cook it until it is smashed and mixes well.
9. Add this to the potato/mushroom mixture and cook for 3 -4 minutes until it mixes well.
10. Garnish with coriander and switch off the stove.

Yummy, spicy potato/mushroom curry is ready to serve. This goes very well with Rotis/Rice. You can also substitute Cauliflower in this recipe to have a variation.

Tips:
If you don't like it much spicy, avoid green chillies.
You can also add little curd to make the gravy tastier.

Beetroot curry

2010-12-12T15:32:00.001-06:00

Beetroot is rich source of nutrients and vitamins and very good for health especially for women and children. Here is a very simple and easy preparation with beetroot which is easy for kids to eat as we grate the beets instead of chopping.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 3 medium size
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon
Hing - a pinch
Red Chillies - 3 to 4
Salt- to taste
Coconut(shredded) - 2 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Peel the skin from the beetroot and grate it finely.

2. Heat oil in a pan and when hot season with mustard seeds, urud dhal, hing, red chillies and curry leaves.

3. Now add the shredded beetroot, salt and sprinkle little water and close it with a lid.

4. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes in a medium flame occasionally sitrring.

5. When it is completely cooked, switch off the stove and add the grated coconut.

Beetroot curry is ready to be served with rotis/rice.You can just mix this to white rice to make beetroot rice. Alternatively, you can use chopped beetroot with the same preparation if you wish.

Plantain Fry

2010-08-29T17:25:00.000-05:00

Here is a simple plantain fry recipe that goes very well with any rice.

Preparation Time: 30 min (excluding marination)

Ingredients:
Raw Green Plantain - 3
Tomato -1 medium size
Rice Flour - 2 tablespoon
Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Peel the skin off the plantain and cut it into round shapes of 1/2 inch thickness.
2. Cook the cut pieces in boiling water with little salt in medium flame until the plantain is cooked completely and becomes soft. It takes around 20 minutes. You can take a piece and try to break it with your fingers.If it breaks easily, remove the pieces from water and transfer it to a dry bowl.
3. Add rice flour, sambhar powder, salt and squeeze the tomato to the cooked plaintain and mix it thoroughly without breaking the pieces.
4. Let the mixture aside for 30 minutes until to allow the spices mix with the plantain.
5. Now heat a thick bottomed deep fry pan and add oil to fry. When the oil is hot, add 4- 5 pieces (based on the volume of your pan) and fry them. Turn sides when it turns golden brown.

Crunchy, hot and spicy plantain fry is ready to eat. If you have extra pieces left, you can refrigerate overnight and fry it the next day.

Puli inji (Tangy Ginger sauce)

2010-08-29T17:14:00.000-05:00

Puli Inji is a must serve in any festive occassion in Kerala. It is made as combination of the ingredients with variety of flavors and has a tangy, sweety taste. This dish always reminds me of my grandfather who loves very simple food. I remember the way he loves to have puli inji with Idlies and curd rice and I am a diehard fan of this dish prepared by my grandma .

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1. Ginger finely chopped - 1 cup
2. Green chillies - 3 finely chopped
3. Tamarind juice - 2 cups extracted from lemon sized tamarind
4. Jaggery - 1 cup
5. Salt - a pinch
6. Turmeric powder - a pinch
7. Oil - 1/2 tablespoon
8. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
9. Curry leaves - 7-8 finely chopped
10. Urud dhal - 1 teaspoon

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and when hot add mustard seeds and when it splutters add urud dhal.
2. When urud dhal turns golden brown, add chopped gingers, green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, salt and fry for 3- 4 minutes until you get a strong aroma of ginger.
3. Now add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil for next 5 minutes until the raw smell goes off.
4. Add the jaggery and cook in medium low flame as the sauce thickens. Stir at regular intervals for another 5 minutes.

Tangy and yummy puli inji is ready to eat.

Spinach Chicken Curry

2010-08-29T16:52:00.001-05:00

I cook chicken very rarely as we prefer to be vegetarian. This time we wanted to eat chicken but I was bored of the same kind of preparation and thought to try something different. Then I remembered I had got Spinach also from the grocery that day, so just wanted to try a green chicken with lot of spices. I wanted to make it a very simple dinner to enjoy the taste of chicken and this curry came out so yummy, and along with the simple rasam, it was heaven.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes (Excluding the marination time)

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1.25 pounds
Curd - 3 tablespoon
Onion - 2 medium sized

G
reen chillies - 4 split vertically

Oil - 5 -6 tablespoon

For Paste:
Spinach leaves - 15
Pepper - 1 teaspoon
red chilly powder - 2 tablespoon
coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

For Powder
Curry leaves - 6-7
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
pepper - 1/2 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Cut chicken into medium cubes and wash it thoroughly and drain the water completely and puncture randomly with fork to help the marination get into the chicken as it soaks.
2. Make a fine paste with the ingredients mentioned to grind.
3. Marinate the chicken with the ground paste and curd for minimum 30 minutes.
4. Cut onions finely into thin pieces length wise.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and fry until it turns transparent, add the green chillies and fry for another one minute.
6. Now add the marinated chicken and sprinkle handful of water and stir well .
7. Cook the chicken in medium flame for next 15-20 minutes and stir occasionally to cook evenly.
8. Meanwhile dry fry and make a coarse paste of the ingredients given for powder.
9. Sprinkle the powder over the chicken and mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Yummy yummy Spinach Chicken Curry is ready to heat. You can serve it hot with Rotis/Rice

Dhal Rasam

2010-08-25T23:28:00.000-05:00

This is another simplest variety of rasam(our version of soup with lentils) made just with dhal water. This preparation doesnt require boiling of the ingredients.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Toor dhal water - 200 ml (made from 1/2 cup of toor dhal)
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Tamarind - Small gooseberry size
Rasam powder (equal amounts of pepper and cumin seeds ground to coarse powder) - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - 3
Coriander leaves - 3 -4 strings finely chopped
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Red chillies - 2

Preparation:
1. In a bowl, smash the tomatoes and tamarind with your hands.
2. Add salt, rasam powder, curry leaves and coriander leaves and cover the bowl with a lid and keep aside.
3. Boil toor dhal in a pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric powder.
4. When the pressure releases, drain the hot dhal water into the mixture prepared and close the lid.
5. Now heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan and when hot, add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida and transfer this to the rasam and stir it well.

Hot and simple rasam is ready to serve. You can drink this as a soup or have it with rice.

Simple Potato Roast

2010-08-25T23:11:00.000-05:00

Here is a very simple, yet tasty and inviting recipe with potatoes. If you are brought up in a typical tamil family, you should have been used to eating the potato fry/roast in one or the other form on all auspicious/festival days of the year. This is the simplest form of the potato fry that I was brought up with. One thing I like about this dish is, you dont deep fry the potatoes and cook them with very little oil. This dish gets crispiness on its outside with the rice flour and tomato used and remains so soft inside. Tomatoes gives little tangy flavor to the dish and it goes along with the spiceness of the chilly powder.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 medium sized
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Rice Flour - 3 table spoons
Sambhar powder (you can use the ready made powder you get in Indian groceries) - 2 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 5 tablespoons

Preparation:
1. Boil potatoes with skin, cool it, peel the skin and dice into small cubes.
2. Add sambhar powder, rice flour and salt to the potatoes.
3. Now smash the tomato with your hands over the potato and mix the ingredients well and blend it nicely.
4. Keep it aside for minimum 15 minutes. If you have larger amount, you can refrigerate for a day and roast and serve hot.
5. Take a deep pan and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes to the oil and roast it in medium flame for next 10 minutes.
6. As the potato turns golden brown, gently stir potatoes to turn sides and roast evenly.

Spicy and roasty potatoes are ready to eat. This can be eaten separtely as a starter or goes well with rotis and rice. This is a divine combination with curd rice.

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2010-07-31T16:15:00.005-05:00

Macroni with Indian Spices

2010-07-26T12:27:00.000-05:00

I am not a great fan of macronis, but my husband is. He always likes to taste it in a different flavor and so I decided to try my hands on macroni with a twist of Indian spices. I wanted to make it simple and easy and just used the basic ingredients of Indian cooking and married to Macroni. It came out very well and was ready in 30 minutes. And I realized I have too started liking it and the next time want to try it out with varied flavors.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Macroni - 100 gms
Vegetables - 1 cup finely chopped lengthwise
Red Chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Garam Masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Olive oil - 2 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Cook macroni in boiling water with little salt (to avoid stickiness) as per the directions in the packet. Drain the water and keep it aside.
2. Chop all vegetables finely lengthwise.
3. Heat oil in a pan and when hot add the vegetable and saute well. Since you have chopped the vegetables finely, do not add water and let it cook in the oil.
4. Close the lid and cook it in medium flame for another 5-7 miinutes and add salt to taste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and cook for another 4-5 minutes untill the raw smell goes off.
5. Now add the drained macroni and saute well.
6. Cook in low flame for next 5 minutes and stir occassionally.

Hot and spicy masala macroni is ready to eat.

Simple Chicken Fry

2010-07-18T11:57:00.002-05:00

Here is a simple preparation of a spicy,hot chicken fry. This will be a very good combination for Rotis or any rice.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 1 big size finely chopped
Curry leaves- 4- 5
Coriander leaves -for garnish
Oil - 3 tablespoon
For paste:
Curd - 3 tablespoons
Chilly powder - 1 table spoon
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
Pepper - 1/2 tablespoon
Fennel Seeds - 1 tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 tablespoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Make a wet paste with the ingredients mentioned for paste.
2. Marinate the chicken with the ground paste and set it aside for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a pan and when hot add finely chopped onions and curry leaves.
4. When the onions turn golden brown, add the marinated chicken and cook in a medium flame closed with a lid. Stir occassionally and cook until chicken becomes soft and tender.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and spicy, hot chicken curry is ready to serve.

Egg Rice

2010-07-10T23:09:00.001-05:00

It was almost 1 PM sunday afternoon and I was yet to prepare our lunch because of my hangover from previous night long pager calls. Both of us were very hungry and I wanted to prepare something real quick. I then realized I had nothing but eggs, potato and capsicum (of very smaller quantity) and decided to prepare egg rice. It came out real yummy and we had our lunch by 2 PM.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Egg - 4
2. Onion - 1 medium sized finely chopped
3. Vegetable - 1 cup(100gms) finely chopped
4. Rice - 200 gms
5. Salt - to taste
6. Pepper powder - 1 tablespoon
7. Oil - 2 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Boil rice and cook it until it is done 3/4th.

2. Heat oil in pan and add finely chopped onions and saute until it is transparent.

3. Add finely chopped vegetables and saute until they are cooked well. You can use any vegetable you prefer but make sure to chop them to cook it faster.

4. Break the eggs and whisk them with little turmeric powder.

5. Pour the eggs into the pan and add required salt and pepper powder and mix them thoroughly.

6. When it is almost done, add the cooked rice and mix it well and cook for next 5 minutes in a low flame.

Hot and quick egg rice is ready to serve. You can serve it with raitha or spicy kurma of your choice.

Tips:

1. You can also prepare this as a simple vegetable rice without eggs.

2. Use Basmathi rice for nice flavor.

Poli (With Channa Dhal/Jaggery)

2010-07-04T11:46:00.001-05:00

Poli is a very famous sweet in souther india and also is known as Puran Poli in North. This is a festive season sweet made in almost all houses in TamilNadu and Andhra on their respective new year day. Preparation of this dish is a little time consuming process. I had been always enjoying this delicious sweet at my sweet home for all these years. This is the first time I tried my hands on this tamil new year (April 14,2010) and it turned out yummy!!! I also made the mixed dhal vada along with the sweet and took to office to celebrate the new year and all my colleagues liked it too!

Ingredients:
1. Channa dhal - 150 gms
2. Jaggery (grated) - 100 gms
3. Maida Flour - 100 gms
4. Oil - 4 tablespoon
5. Salt - to taste
6. Ghee
7. Cardamom - 3
8. Turmeric powder - a pinch

Preparation:

To make the stuffing
1. Soak Channa dhal for 1 to 2 hours and pressure cook it with required water for 4 whistles.
2. After the pressure releases, drain the water from the dhal and grind it to a paste with grated jaggery and cardamom without water. This paste would be in a semi-solid consistency.
3. Heat a pan with strong base and add this paste to the pan. Cook and stir it ocassionally until the wetness goes off and the mixture comes to a solid consistency.
4. Now switch off the stove and bring the mixture to cool.

To make the outer layer

Mix the maida with little salt and turmeric powder. Add little water and knead the dough. Add required oil and knead it without lumps and until it becomes smooth. Once the dough is ready, spread little oil over the dough and keep it aside for atleast 30 minutes.

To make the Poli
In this preparation we need to use either fresh plantain leaves or plastic sheet. Wash it thoroughly in water and wipe it with a clean towel to dry.
It is good to have atleast two leaves/sheets to use alternatively. Wash your hands and get ready to make poli as the remaining preparation needs to be done by hands only.

1. Add 2 to 3 drops of oil in a plantain leaf/plastic sheet and spread it completely. This will help from not sticking the dough to the sheet when you transfer it to the tava.
2. Take a small portion of the kneaded maida dough and make it to a ball shape.
3. Place the ball shaped dough on the sheet and start spreading it with your fingers into a circle of even size.
4. Now make a small ball of the stuffing and place it in the dough and cover it completely with the dough around it.
5. Again spread it with your fingers into a circle of even size. Try to make it as thin as possible.
6. Now heat the tava and when it is hot enough slowly transfer the poli from the plaintain leaf/sheet to the tava without breaking it.
7. Spread 1 tablespoon of ghee around it and allow it to cook. Once it cooks, turn sides and cook it for another 1- 2 minutes.

Hot, tasty and sweety poli is ready to eat.

Kothamalli Thokku

2010-07-04T11:24:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:
1. Coriander Leaves - a bunch
2. Red chillies - 4 (vary according to your spice level)
3. Urud dhal - 3 tablespoon
4. Fenugreek Seeds - 2 teaspoon
5. Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida - a pinch
7. Oil - 2 tablespoon
8. Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon
9. Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon (for seasoning)
10. Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry urud dhal, red chillies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and asafoetida without over burning.
2. Then clean the coriander leaves with water and add it to the pan and fry well until the raw smell goes off.
3. Cool and grind it into coarse paste with required salt.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and season mustard seeds and when it splutters, add the ground paste and mix it well for 2 -3 minutes.
Spicy, tatsy kothamalli thokku is ready to eat.
This is a very good combination for Idly/dosa and also with white rice.

Tips:
1. You can add few curry leaves along with coriander to make it tastier.